Colocasia Gigateae Elepant Ear Alocasia.

Hey guys I have won one of these on a well known auction site and wondered if any one has grown one or is growing one

 

Congratulations Richard. Do keep us in touch with how it gets on. I am currently growing one or two of the Taro that you mentioned above. I am told by my neighbour, who is an Indian lady, that they continue to grow in size each year. But there is obviously a maximum, which is not as big as C. gigantica.


However I recently bought an Alocasia 'Calidora', which was going cheap. I thought I recognised the name, but only afterwards Googled it and saw that it can get very big, as in the above picture.

I understand that Alocasia and Colocasia are very similar in growing requirements. The major difference seems to be that Colocasia will continue to grow at a lower temperature. If the temperature gets too low it will become dormant and overwinter as a tuber, but its not too difficult to get into growth the following spring. Alocasia seems to need more heat, and if it goes dormant its more difficult to revive the next spring.

 

Thanks peter I will post when it arrives it says it's a sprouting tuber and will get growing very fast I am trying some taro roots that I got from a Asian food stall in a market and was googling info on them and came across them so it cost me £6 with the postage so thought it was worth a try I'm trying to get a tropical feel to both my beds in back garden and love really strange plants but I am still new to gardening really

 

I think part of the trick is starting them off (assuming you get a tuber, and not a plant) with enough heat, and moisture, but without enough water that they rot.

Some start them off just by blowing into a bag (to provide sufficient moisture) and then sealing the bag until the bulb is well under way. Just the buds breaking on the tuber may not be enough to prevent subsequent rot (if you are not careful with watering). Once they are in leaf you can stand Colocasia in water ... not when they are dormant though. Some more sensitive than others of course.

Best course of action is not to let them get dormant in winter

 

Cheers Kirsten
The add said that it will have good growth tips
And roots and to just sit in on tray of moist compost so hoping all goes will and it does not just rot

 

Hiya,

Sounds like an exciting plant for a warm place. It'll be a real talking point. Are you having it outside in summer and in a conservatory/heated greenhouse in winter?

I used to live abroad and work in tropical agriculture. For cultivation information, check out A. macrorrhizos cos there's more info on this.

Beware that the one you are growing isn't awfully edible. For foliage and corms try Xanthosoma sagittifolium.

 

Im growing some at the moment, I got the corms off ebay

 

I can't grow them "well" ... need to find out what I am doing wrong, as mine are pathetic :(

 

Hey there
Yes I plane on bringing it in in winter and out in the garden over summer

 

I don't plan on eating any of them just want them for the foliage so hopefully will add a tropical feel to the garden really
Here is a photo of how the one from the food stall is going looks like there will be two plants from it

 

Mine are also roughly the same stage as richard.. they hv been like this for months.. dont knw wht i m doing wrong :-(

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk

 

I would go for "more heat" as a first step. Put a plastic bag over it, and stick it somewhere nice and toasty - airing cupboard maybe, but warmer than that might be better.

 

I agree with Kristen. They are definately tropical and your house is likely to be cooler than what they are used to.

For a tropical look I'd perhaps try some of the ginger family. They have flowers ranging from spectacular to weird and can readily be grown from the grocery store e.g. ginger and turmeric. Plus they are adapted to lower light levels, as they are in the understorey, so don't mind our English 'sunshine'. They can be outside in summer and in the conservatory during the winter, although there are a few species that can stay outside all year round if you're sheltered/in the south.

(Don't try lemon grass or anything else that needs very high light levels.)

 

Minki it's defiantly growing slowly it's on top of my marine fish tank so nice and warm it's starting to roll out a leaf in on place and opening up the center on the main bit

 

Thanks cinnamon I might have a go at some of them then